Bidens amplectens

David Eickhoff

Description

Koʻokoʻolau or Waianae kookoolau Asteraceae Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands (Oʻahu only) Rare Oʻahu (Cultivated) Early Hawaiians used the leaves in hot teas and tonics. Today, all species of koʻokoʻolau can be brewed as a tonic and each are said to have distinct flavors. Regarding Bidens spp., Isabella Abbott comments that "I find that the roughly half a dozen species common in Hawaiʻi offer two or three slightly different flavors, each a bit more subtle than commercial black tea." ("Lāʻau Hawaiʻi: Traditional Hawaiian Uses of Plants") nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Bidens_amplectens